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La: In
solmization, the
sixth
degree of the
major scale.
Also, the first degree of the relative
minor
scale, e.g. A
is the
sixth
degree, or
La, in the
C
major scale and
the first degree of the a-minor scale.
Lacrimoso: Tearful, mournful.
Lament: A mournful
piece, either meant to be played at a funeral, or to commemorate a death.
Lamento: (Ita) Mournful, sad.
Landini Cadence:
The melodic
cadence that moves in the
sequence 7-6-8,
used primarily by Francesco Landini, and later by other
composers.
Langsam: Slow.
Largamente: (Ita) Broadly.
Larghetto: (Ita)
Not quite as slow a
tempo as
largo. Between 60 and 66
beats per minute.
Largo: (Ita)
Very slow
tempo
of between 40 and 60
beats per minute.
Leading Tone:
The seventh
degree
of the diatonic
scale, when it is only a
half-step below the
tonic. It is
called "leading" because it gives the feeling of wanting to move up a
half-step toward the
tonic.
Leap: The movement of a
single musical line by more than a
second at a time.
Ledger Lines:
Lines written above or below the staff
to help indicate the
correct pitches
for notes written outside of it.
Legato: Smooth,
connected.
Leggiero: (Ita) Light; graceful.
Leitmotif:
"Leading Motive". Use of a musical
phrase to identify with a certain
person, place or thing in a dramatic work, especially an
opera,
usually repeated every time its referent appeared in the work.
Lent: The season of the
church year from Ash Wednesday to Easter (40 days, not counting Sundays).
Lento: Slow; slightly
faster than largo, slower than
adagio.
Liberamento: Freely.
Libretto: The text (lyrics
and any spoken parts) of an opera or
oratorio.
Lied/Lieder:
A German art song, usually those of the
Romantic or
Classical eras.
Linear:
Melodic;
horizontal lines.
Lira
Organizzata: Built in a
Guitar shape with a rotating wheel that produces its
sound. The sounds are like that of a
Hurdy-Gurdy where
organ pipeworks
and bellows are used. It was introduced to Latin America from the Far East and
Spain in the Middle
Ages at that time called an
Organistrum
Lirone:
Italian for Lira
da Gamba.
Litany: A set of
prayers recited by a leader alternating with responses by the congregation,
often set in
plainsong form.
Liturgy: A
prescribed order of worship in a church, usually used in reference to the
Mass.
Locrian Mode: A
mode
whose scale pattern is that of playing
B to
B on the white keys of a
Piano.
While this mode theoretically existed in
medieval times, it was never used.
Lullaby: A cradle
song.
Lute: A lute refers to anyone of a variety of plucked stringed
instruments of
European descent popular from the 16 to 18th centuries. Its oblong, rounded and
pear-shaped body has a flat soundboard on which the strings are attached to its
fretted neck. Normally, the lute has five sets of double
strings plus a single, longer highest string. Various numbers and configurations
of the strings have existed over history. Other types of lutes include the small
mandora and a bass lute, pandora, and the very largest lutes, the chitarrone and
the Theorbo.
Lute Harpsichord: This
Harpsichord has a sound intended to imitate
the sound of the lute. It was popular in Germany during the
Baroque.
Lydian Mode: A
medieval
mode
whose scale
pattern is that of playing
F to
F
on the white keys of a Piano.
Lyra Viol:
Also known as
Viola Bastarda, whose strange name came from its tuning and
shape. It is cross between
bass and
tenor
Viola.
Lyre
(also
Lyra): This ancient Greet
instrument was played by Apollo, Greek god of
music.
The body was made of wood or tortoise shell. Its curved arms hold five to twelve
gut strings. It was plucked with a plectrum.
Lyric: 1. The words to
a song. 2. In a singing and melodious manner.
Lyric Soprano:
A female singer with a slightly higher range than a
Dramatic
Soprano.
Lyric Tenor: A
male singer with a slightly higher range
than a Dramatic
Tenor.
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